EP0036234B1 - Automatic sector scan control system for an in both directions rotated main shaft out of a predetermined angular position which is fixed in the course of time - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a system for controlling the rotation of the shaft of a motor so as to automatically cause an oscillating movement of this shaft on either side of a predetermined angular position which remains fixed over time.

The invention relates more particularly to the rotational driving of a radar antenna. In this application, it is desirable to be able to communicate to the antenna the following movements: either a continuous rotation in one or the other direction of rotation, called "continuous rotation" mode, or an alternating sweeping movement of magnitude predetermined angle on either side of a fixed virtual plane whose angular position is predetermined, called "standby" mode. The “continuous rotation” mode can be either permanent in order to explore the surrounding space over a 360 degree angle, or temporary in order to modify the angular position of the virtual plane perpendicular to the scanning sector.

In known technology, the displacements defined above for a radar antenna are obtained by means of a position control which guarantees the absence of drift of the virtual plane perpendicular to the scanning sector in "standby" mode. To achieve this position control it is necessary to install a sensor on the axis of the antenna which gives information on the angular position of the antenna. It is also necessary to have a second sensor which is not linked to the antenna and which is driven by a control crank and whose calibration must be as similar as possible to that of the first sensor. The output signal from each of the two sensors is transmitted to a comparator which deduces therefrom an analog error signal ε which, after amplification, controls a motor in the opposite direction to the detected difference _E. To obtain forced rotation, it suffices to act on the control crank of the second sensor, the position of which determines the theoretical axis of the antenna. For a determined position of the axis (fixed control crank), the antenna's oscillation movement is obtained by introducing a voltage signal v which is added algebraically to the signals on both at a third comparator input other inputs and whose waveform determines the alternating movement of the antenna. Such servo-control gives the antenna rotation control system good precision and a certain flexibility of operation, but in return it is necessary to use precision members and to carry out a prior adjustment of the servo-control, in studying its stability in particular, for each antenna model. For example, the drive motor is a direct current motor, the control of which is quite expensive. Other systems using contactors to determine the direction of rotation of the drive motor, of the asynchronous type, have been described in document US-A-3,636,427.

The invention reduces the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art and makes it possible to obtain a system for controlling the rotation of the shaft of a motor, simpler and less costly to implement, the system defined in the preamble being remarkable in that 'it comprises contactors determining the direction of rotation of said motor, a disc integral in rotation with said shaft and provided at its periphery with regularly spaced detection zones, two sensors associated with a pulse shaping member for detecting said zones, translate their passage in the form of calibrated electrical pulses as well as their direction of passage in the form of an electrical signal, an up-down counter of said delayed calibrated pulses, the state of charge of which is a number of variable value N, a member d 'display of a predetermined fixed number N' and, in a logic device which receives the numbers N and N 'as well as said electrical signal, a comparator for comparing the numbers N and N', u n zero-crossing detector of the number N, a member for controlling the change of direction of rotation of said motor and a member for controlling change of counting direction of said up-down counter.

The system according to the invention does not offer the same flexibility as that of the prior art. Indeed, the motor, which generally drives a load is controlled, according to the invention by a fixed voltage, in one direction or the other, and no longer by a continuously variable voltage as is the case during a position control. However, the main advantage of the servo-control is retained, namely the fixity of the angular position of the theoretical axis around which the motor shaft oscillates. This is made possible by using very inexpensive hardware, consisting essentially of low power logic circuits, for example series integrated circuits. In addition, when the logic system is developed it can then be produced industrially without requiring any particular adjustment during its installation for controlling a motor.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the system is remarkable in that said control member for changing the direction of rotation of the motor receives the output of said comparator and that said control member for changing the direction of counting of the counter- down counter receives on a first input said electrical signal and on a second input the output of said zero crossing detector of the number N, the starting of the system taking place in the counting position.

According to an embodiment compatible with the previous one and applying to the rotation control of a radar antenna, the system is remarkable in that it further comprises a contact device and a logic device for controlling the motor contactors, the latter receiving the output signal from said device for controlling the change of direction of rotation, a reset signal as well as two forced control signals in one or more the other direction of rotation on the part of the contact device, and providing two output signals on two inputs of said member comprising said contactors determining the direction of rotation of the motor.

• La figure 1 est le schéma synoptique d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 2 est le schéma synoptique d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 3 représente une réalisation possible de l'organe logique de commande des contacteurs du moteur de la figure 2.
• La figure 4 représente la partie logique d'un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 5 représente la partie logique d'un quatrième mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 6 représente la partie logique d'un cinquième mode de réalisation de l'invention.
• La figure 7 représente une variante possible pour les quatrième et cinquième modes de réalisation.
• La figure 8 représente la fonction schématisée du nombre N en fonction de l'angle de balayage 0, N(0), en a pour les premier et deuxième modes de réalisation, en b pour le troisième mode de réalisation, en c pour le quatrième mode de réalisation et en d. pour le cinquième mode de réalisation.

The following description with reference to the appended drawings, all given by way of example will make it clear how the invention can be implemented.

• FIG. 1 is the block diagram of a first embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 is the block diagram of a second embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 3 represents a possible embodiment of the logic member for controlling the contactors of the motor in FIG. 2.
• FIG. 4 represents the logic part of a third embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 represents the logic part of a fourth embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 represents the logic part of a fifth embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 7 represents a possible variant for the fourth and fifth embodiments.
• FIG. 8 represents the diagrammatic function of the number N as a function of the scanning angle 0, N (0), in a for the first and second embodiments, in b for the third embodiment, in c for the fourth embodiment and in d. for the fifth embodiment.

In the figures, the same references designate the same elements with the same functions.

In Figure 1, a motor 1 rotates a shaft 2 shown in phantom. A disc 3 is integral with the shaft 2 and has at its periphery regularly spaced-apart detection zones, shown diagrammatically at 4. Two sensors 5 separated by a distance less than the distance which separates two adjacent detection zones are arranged near the periphery of the disc 3. Their function is to emit an electrical pulse when a detection zone passes in front of each of them. This detection can be, in known manner, either electrical (sliding contacts) or magnetic (notched disc) or optical. The pulses emitted by the sensors 5 are processed in a shaping member 6 whose function is twofold: the member 6 transmits on a first output terminal 7 calibrated pulses each of which is representative of the passage of each zone 4 in front of the sensors 5. The shaping member 6 further transmits to a second output terminal 8 an electrical signal representative of the direction of rotation of the disc 3. For example, this electrical signal is a logic voltage level "1" when the disc rotates in the forward direction and a logic voltage level "0 when the disc rotates in the retrograde direction. The two functions of the member 6 defined above are easily achievable by those skilled in the art, in particular using flip-flops and logic gate circuits. The calibrated pulses received on terminal 7 are preferably delayed in a delay device 9, then transmitted via this latter to a pulse up-down counter 10 which has a second input of counting direction of pulses, connected to a terminal 11. The up-down counter 10 is for example in counting when the terminal 11 is the seat of a logic voltage level "1 and in down-counting when the terminal 11 is at the logic voltage level" 0 _' . The output of the up-down counter 10 is multiple, which is indicated by a bar cutting the output conductor, and connected to a multiple terminal 12. The variable state of charge of the up-down counter 10 is a number of value N which is displayed in a predetermined digital form, for example according to a number code based on 2, on the multiple terminal 12. In a similar manner, a display member 13 makes it possible to display a fixed predetermined number N ′, for example in binary on a multiple output terminal 14. The member 13 can be produced in particular using coding wheels. A member which contains the contactors determining the direction of rotation of the motor, referenced 15, imposes on the latter for example the direct direction of rotation when it receives from a terminal 16 the logic voltage level "1" and the retrograde direction when 'it receives logic voltage level "0 •.

A logic device 17 shown in broken lines, has its inputs connected to terminals 8, 12 and 14 and its outputs connected to terminals 11 and 16. It includes a zero crossing detector 18 which receives the signals from terminal 12, a comparator 19 which receives the signals from terminals 12 and 14 and the output of which is connected to terminal 16 by means of a control member for changing the direction of rotation of the motor, 20. The output of detector 18 is connected to a input of a control member for changing the counting direction 21, a second input of which is connected to terminal 8 and the output of which is connected to terminal 11.

• L'état du système au repos est tel que, le moteur et les organes logiques n'étant pas alimentés, l'arbre du moteur se trouve dans la position repérée par une flèche F en regard d'un repère R fixe sur la figure 1 et les organes logiques 10, 20 et 21 sont remis à zéro. Un nombre N' est affiché, par exemple à la main dans l'organe 13. Lorsqu'on alimente le système à partir de la position de repos, l'état logique présent sur la borne 16 impose au moteur un sens de rotation. Cet état logique au démarrage peut être soit aléatoire, soit, de préférence prédéterminé de façon connue, à partir de l'organe 20. Pour fixer les idées on suppose que la borne 16 est, au démarrage, à l'état logique « 1 ». Lors du passage de la première zone 4 devant les capteurs 5, une impulsion calibrée est transmise sur la borne 7 et le niveau logique « 1 à à la borne 8. Dans le mode de réalisation de la figure 1, l'organe 21 se réduit à un circuit-porte OU exclusif. Le niveau « 1 sur la borne 8 est donc transmis à la borne 11, du fait que l'autre entrée de l'organe 21 est au niveau « 0 comme on le verra ci-dessous et l'organe 10 est ainsi mis en position de comptage. Avant que la deuxième zone 4 ne passe devant les capteurs 5, la première impulsion sur la borne 7 est transmise, via l'organe de retardement 9, au compteur-décompteur 10 et comptée par ce dernier. Le temps de retard _T introduit par l'organe 9 est légèrement supérieur au temps de basculement des circuits logiques dans l'organe 21, ce temps _T étant par ailleurs nettement inférieur au temps de passage d'une zone 4 à la suivante devant les capteurs 5. Toutes les zones 4 sont ainsi prises en compte par le compteur-décompteur 10. Lorsque le nombre N atteint la valeur de N' alors que l'organe 10 est en état de comptage, le comparateur 19 délivre une impulsion à l'organe 20, ce qui a pour effet d'inverser l'état logique à sa sortie qui passe donc, dans l'exemple choisi, de 1 à 0. Ceci provoque, dans l'organe 15, une inversion du sens de rotation du moteur. A cause de l'inertie de rotation du rotor du moteur et d'une charge éventuelle non représentée solidaire de l'arbre 2, l'inversion de sens n'est pas instantanée et il est possible qu'une ou plusieurs impulsions soient encore comptées en 10 avant que le sens de rotation de l'arbre 2 ne s'inverse effectivement. Lorsque l'inversion a lieu, la dernière zone 4 comptée repasse en sens inverse devant les capteurs 5 ce qui a pour effet d'inverser l'état logique sur la borne 8, c'est-à-dire de faire passer cet état à 0. Pendant tout le temps écoulé depuis le démarrage du système, l'organe 18 n'ayant pas détecté de passage à zéro du nombre N a délivré un état logique 0 à sa sortie. A partir de l'inversion de sens de rotation le circuit-porte OU exclusif 21 va donc délivrer un état logique 0 sur la borne 11, ce qui fait passer l'organe 10 en état de décomptage. La première impulsion décomptée correspond à la même zone 4 qui avait provoqué la dernière impulsion comptée. Etant donnée la relation linéaire rigoureuse qui lie le nombre N à la position angulaire de la flèche F et qui s'apparente à une relation d'identité, toutes les impulsions préalablement comptées lors de la rotation de l'arbre dans le sens direct sont décomptées lors du mouvement dans le sens rétrograde, si bien que lorsque la flèche F coïncide à nouveau avec le repère R, N est égal à zéro. Il faut noter que lorsque N décroît à partir de sa valeur maximale, l'égalité N = N' se produit à nouveau, ce qui provoque aussi une impulsion en sortie du comparateur 19. Cette deuxième impulsion ne doit pas être prise en compte en sortie de l'organe 20. A cet effet, l'organe 20 peut comporter un diviseur par deux réalisé à l'aide de bascules bistables. De préférence, à la place du diviseur par deux, un circuit-porte ET non représenté disposé entre les organes 19 et 20 reçoit sur ses deux entrées les sorties des organes 19 et 21. Au passage à zéro de N lors du mouvement rétrograde, l'organe 18 délivre à sa sortie un niveau logique 1 qui est transmis à travers le circuit-porte OU exclusif 21, ce qui fait passer le compteur-décompteur 10 à l'état de comptage. La demi oscillation de la flèche F décrite ci-dessus pour un demi secteur angulaire parcouru par l'arbre 2 se répète pour le demi secteur opposé avec une amplitude au moins égale à celle qu'impose la valeur du nombre N', de façon qu'au bout d'une oscillation complète, la flèche F étant en regard du repère R, le système soit dans le même état logique que lors du démarrage, mais avec une vitesse non nulle. Dans le mode de réalisation de la figure 1, l'organe 18 est par exemple constitué d'un circuit-porte NON OU suivi d'une bascule bistable. Il faut noter que le système décrit ci-dessus fonctionne de la même façon si les états logiques sur la borne 8 et en sortie de l'organe 18 sont inversés.

The operation of the system is as follows, in accordance with the function N (0) represented in FIG. 8a:

• The state of the system at rest is such that, the motor and the logic members not being supplied, the motor shaft is in the position marked by an arrow F opposite a fixed mark R in FIG. 1 and the logic elements 10, 20 and 21 are reset to zero. A number N ′ is displayed, for example by hand in the member 13. When the system is supplied from the rest position, the logic state present on terminal 16 imposes on the motor a direction of rotation. This logic state at start-up can be either random, or, preferably predetermined in a known manner, from the member 20. To fix the ideas, it is assumed that terminal 16 is, at start-up, in logic state "1". During the passage of the first zone 4 in front of the sensors 5, a calibrated pulse is transmitted on terminal 7 and the logic level “1 to at terminal 8. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the member 21 is reduced to an exclusive OR gate circuit. The level "1 on terminal 8 is therefore transmitted to terminal 11, because the other input of member 21 is at level" 0 as will be seen below and member 10 is thus placed in position count. Before the second zone 4 passes in front of the sensors 5, the first pulse on the terminal 7 is transmitted, via the delay member 9, to the up-down counter 10 and counted by the latter. The delay time _T introduced by the member 9 is slightly greater than the time for switching of the logic circuits in the member 21, this time _T being moreover significantly less than the time for passing from one zone 4 to the next in front of the sensors. 5. All the zones 4 are thus taken into account by the up-down counter 10. When the number N reaches the value of N 'while the member 10 is in the counting state, the comparator 19 delivers a pulse to the member 20, which has the effect of reversing the logic state at its output which therefore passes, in the example chosen, from 1 to 0. This causes, in member 15, an inversion of the direction of rotation of the motor. Because of the inertia of rotation of the rotor of the motor and of a possible load not shown integral with the shaft 2, the reversal of direction is not instantaneous and it is possible that one or more pulses are still counted at 10 before the direction of rotation of the shaft 2 actually reverses. When the inversion takes place, the last zone 4 counted goes back in the opposite direction in front of the sensors 5 which has the effect of inverting the logic state on terminal 8, that is to say of passing this state to 0. During all the time elapsed since the start of the system, the member 18 not having detected a zero crossing of the number N delivered a logic state 0 at its output. From the reversal of the direction of rotation, the exclusive OR gate circuit 21 will therefore deliver a logic state 0 on the terminal 11, which puts the member 10 in the countdown state. The first counted pulse corresponds to the same zone 4 which had caused the last counted pulse. Given the rigorous linear relation which links the number N to the angular position of the arrow F and which is similar to an identity relation, all the pulses previously counted during the rotation of the shaft in the direct direction are counted during the movement in the retrograde direction, so that when the arrow F coincides again with the reference mark R, N is equal to zero. It should be noted that when N decreases from its maximum value, the equality N = N 'occurs again, which also causes a pulse at the output of comparator 19. This second pulse must not be taken into account at output of the member 20. To this end, the member 20 may comprise a divider by two produced using flip-flops. Preferably, in place of the divider by two, an AND not shown gate circuit disposed between the members 19 and 20 receives on its two inputs the outputs of the members 19 and 21. At the zero crossing of N during the retrograde movement, the 'organ 18 delivers at its output a logic level 1 which is transmitted through the exclusive OR gate circuit 21, which switches the up-down counter 10 to the counting state. The half oscillation of the arrow F described above for a half angular sector traversed by the shaft 2 is repeated for the opposite half sector with an amplitude at least equal to that imposed by the value of the number N ', so that 'at the end of a complete oscillation, the arrow F being opposite the reference R, the system is in the same logic state as during startup, but with a non-zero speed. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the member 18 is for example constituted by a NOR gate circuit followed by a flip-flop. It should be noted that the system described above works in the same way if the logic states on terminal 8 and at the output of member 18 are reversed.

A variant of the first embodiment of the invention described above consists in using a logic which responds to pulses and no longer to logic states. According to this variant, the member 6 delivers, on the terminal 8, a pulse during each change of direction of rotation of the shaft 2 and the member 18 a pulse during each zero crossing of the number N. In this case , the member 18 is reduced to a simple NO-OR gate circuit. The function to be performed by the member 21 then consists in reversing the state of its output each time it receives a pulse on one of its inputs, alternately. This can be done simply by means of an OR gate circuit followed by a flip-flop with symmetrical control, or, preferably, by means of a flip-flop with two inputs, which guarantees that two changes of logic state successive on terminal 11 are due to a pulse on one then on the other input of the member 21. One of the applications envisaged for the invention is the rotation control of a radar antenna. An embodiment for this particular application is described with reference to FIG. 2, in accordance with the function N (9) represented in FIG. 8a. In this case, a load, constituted by the antenna symbolized at 25 is integral in rotation with the motor 1 via a reduction gear 26. The motor 1 is preferably a three-phase asynchronous motor. It is then advantageous to fix the disc 3 on the motor shaft and not on the antenna shaft 27. In fact, if the reduction ratio provided by the reduction gear 26 is large enough, a single detection zone, 4, on disk 3 may suffice. On the other hand, it is desirable to be able to modify the angular position of the arrow F or to pass from the "standby mode (scanning of a sector) to the" continuous rotation "mode. To this end, a contact device 28 is provided. It includes a switch with two on-off positions 29 shown in FIG. 2 in the “on” position and two contactors with three twin positions 30 and 31 shown in FIG. 2 in their neutral position. The choice terminal 32 of the switch 29 is the reset terminal of the standby system: when it is connected to earth, it prevents operation in “standby” mode by repositioning the members 10, 20, 21 and to zero. a logic member for controlling the motor contactors, 33. This system zeroing can take place either from the switch 29 ("off" position) or from the contactor 30 ("inhibition" position). The contactors 30, 31 are for example keys or push buttons which are in neutral position at rest. When the key is actuated downwards (terminals 34 and 35) the continuous rotation of the antenna is obtained in the direct direction for example, the retrograde direction being then obtained by actuating the key upwards: terminals 36 and 37. When the key is released, the switch 29 being in its position indicated in FIG. 2, the system resumes in "standby" mode around the new angular position acquired by the arrow F at the end of the forced continuous rotation of the antenna. A possible embodiment of the device 33 is described below with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, terminal 16 is connected directly to the first input of an AND gate circuit 40 as well as to the first input of a AND gate circuit 41 via an inverter 42. A second input of gate circuits 41 and 40 is connected to the reset terminal 32 and the output of each of these circuits is supplied respectively to a circuit- OR gate 43 and an OR gate circuit 44. A second input of gate circuit 43 and gate circuit 44 is connected, by means of reversing circuits 45 and 46, respectively at terminals 36 and 34.

When the contact members 29, 30, 31 are in the position indicated in FIG. 2, the terminals 34, 36, 32 are in the logic state "1" (by means of a power supply not shown) and depending on whether terminal 16 is the seat of state "1" or of state "0", the output configuration of gate circuits 43 and 44 is "0 and" 1, which imposes the direct direction of rotation to the shaft 2 by means of the member 15, or else "1" and "0", which imposes the direction of retrograde rotation. To pass from the “standby” mode to the “continuous rotation” mode, it is sufficient, starting from the positions indicated in FIG. 2, to actuate in one direction or the other the key of the paired contactors 30, 31. For example, to obtaining the retrograde direction of rotation, it suffices to earth terminals 36 and 37 (logic state "0"). The terminal 37 being connected to the terminal 32, it is simultaneously obtained that the logic device 17 and the up-down counter 10 are inhibited and reset to zero and that the gate circuits 40 and 41 are made non-passable. Terminal 34 being in state "1", OR gate circuit 44 outputs "0" and terminal 36 being in state "0", OR gate circuit 43 delivering "1". The direct direction of rotation is obtained symmetrically by establishing states "0" and "1" on terminals 34 and 36, respectively, all other things being equal.

According to a third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the capacity of the up-down counter 10 is limited to the value of the number N ′ displayed in the member 13. The function N (6) relating to this embodiment is shown in Figure 8b. In FIG. 4, the organs relating to the motor and to its control have not been shown, for simplicity, these organs possibly being those of FIG. 1 or those of FIG. 2, nor the reset command. of members 10 and 17. In this case, the equality of the numbers N and N ′ also reverses the direction of counting. For this purpose, the output of the comparator 19 is also supplied to a third input of the member 21 by means of a conductor 48. According to this embodiment, the use of an AND gate circuit between the members 19 and 20 is no longer possible and the member 20 comprises a divider by two produced for example by means of flip-flops. The passage of the shaft at each end of the sector to be scanned results, for each end, in a train of two pulses close in time at the output of the comparator 19. To ensure that the first of these two pulses corresponding to a variation centripetal of the angle of rotation is always taken into account in the member 20 and never the second, it can be provided that, in known manner, each pulse received by the member 20 triggers in the latter a monostable action for the duration of which a pulse received by the member 20, in this case the second pulse of the aforementioned train, is inhibited in the latter. The functions of dividing by two and of taking into account the correct pulse among two consecutive pulses are thus carried out simultaneously, functions which must be performed between the comparator 19 and the terminal 16, this variant can be used for the other embodiments. For the embodiment of FIG. 4, a logic which responds to pulses is preferably used, the terminal 8, the output of the member 18 and the conductor 48 being the seat of pulses. During the appearance of a pulse on any one of these three inputs of the member 21, the logic state at the output of the latter, namely the terminal 11, is reversed. This function is performed, in member 21, for example by means of an OR gate circuit receiving the three aforementioned inputs, followed by a bistable lever with symmetrical control, or else by means of a bistable lever with three inputs , for example a rocker of the RS type with three inputs. Thanks to the resetting to zero and the pre-positioning of certain rockers, the cycle starts as in the case of FIG. 1. The starting taking place in a predetermined direction, in counting for example (terminal 11 in the state "1") , the following consecutive phases take place: during the equality N = N ′ by increasing values of 0 a pulse at the output of the member 19 switches the up-down counter 10 in down-counting and causes the reversal of the direction command of rotation. When the direction of rotation is effectively reversed, an impulse which appears at 8 imposes counting. The equality N = N 'by decreasing values of 0 requires counting down. The zero crossing of N requires counting. The scanning of the second half sector takes place as described above for the first half sector and the movement can continue indefinitely without any drift, over time, from the theoretical plane of the scanned half sector, plane whose trace is the axis defined by the alignment of the arrow F and the mark R in Figure 1.

It should be noted that for the first two embodiments of the invention described above, it is possible to modify the angular amplitude of the sector to be scanned, during the operation of the system, without modifying the angular position. of the theoretical axis of the scanning sector, simply by modifying the value of the number N ', at 13. For the third embodiment, there may be an angular offset of the axis.

According to other embodiments of the invention, described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the starting takes place while the up-down counter 10 is in the down-counting position, the number N 'being previously loaded into the up-down counter 10.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the members relating to the engine and to its control are not shown. They can be those of Figure 1 or Figure 2.

• Les destinations des sorties des organes 18 et 19 sont interverties, celle de l'organe 18 étant fournie à l'organe 20 et celle du comparateur 19 à l'organe 21 sur la figure 5. D'autre part la sortie multiple de l'organe d'affichage 13 est aussi fournie au moyen du conducteur multiple 50 au compteur-décompteur 10 dans le but d'y afficher la valeur du nombre N' lorsque la borne 32 est activée. Sur le schéma de la figure 5, ce qui était une entrée de remise à zéro devient donc une entrée d'ordre de chargement en 10 du nombre N' affiché en 13. Le fonctionnement du système de la figure 5 est, pour la fonction N(e) représentée à la figure 8c, analogue à celui des figures 2 et 8a, à cela près que lors des différentes phases du cycle de balayage les états de comptage, respectivement de décomptage, sont inversés, en 10, ce qui correspond à un pré-positionnement inverse de la sortie de l'organe 21. D'autre part, l'organe 20 de commande de changement de sens de rotation du moteur n'est plus commandé par l'égalité N ₌ N' mais par les passages à zéro de N par valeurs décroissantes et, symétriquement, l'égalité N = N' provoque l'inversion du sens de comptage. Sur la figure 8c les valeurs de N qui sont représentées symboliquement en valeurs négatives sont en réalité, en partant de zéro, par exemple les valeurs N', N' - 1, N' - 2 ... Le mode de réalisation de la figure 6 est celui pour lequel : la fonction N(0) est celle qui est indiquée à la figure 8d, le nombre N' est affiché en 10 sous l'influence d'un signal adéquat sur la borne 32, l'inversion de la commande de changement de sens est provoquée par les passages à zéro de N par valeurs décroissantes, et l'inversion du sens de comptage, successivement par chaque passage à zéro de N, chaque inversion effective du sens de rotation et chaque obtention de l'égalité N = N', les sorties respectives des organes 18, 6 (borne 8) et 19 étant fournies à l'organe 21.

If we compare the diagram in Figure 5 to that in Figure 2, we note the following differences only:

• The destinations of the outputs of the members 18 and 19 are inverted, that of the member 18 being supplied to the member 20 and that of the comparator 19 to the member 21 in FIG. 5. On the other hand the multiple output of the display member 13 is also supplied by means of the multiple conductor 50 to the up-down counter 10 in order to display there the value of the number N 'when the terminal 32 is activated. In the diagram in FIG. 5, what was a reset entry therefore becomes a loading order entry in 10 of the number N ′ displayed at 13. The operation of the system of FIG. 5 is, for the function N (e) represented in FIG. 8c, similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 8a, except that during the different phases of the scanning cycle the counting or counting down states are reversed, at 10, which corresponds to a reverse pre-positioning of the output of the member 21. On the other hand, the control member 20 for changing the direction of rotation of the motor is no longer controlled by the equality N ₌ N 'but by the passages to zero of N by decreasing values and, symmetrically, the equality N = N 'causes the inversion of the counting direction. In FIG. 8c, the values of N which are symbolically represented as negative values are in reality starting from zero, for example the values N ', N' - 1, N '- 2 ... The embodiment of the figure 6 is the one for which: the function N (0) is that indicated in FIG. 8d, the number N 'is displayed at 10 under the influence of an adequate signal on terminal 32, the inversion of the command change of direction is caused by the zero crossings of N by decreasing values, and the reversal of the counting direction, successively by each zero crossing of N, each effective reversal of the direction of rotation and each obtaining of equality N = N ', the respective outputs of members 18, 6 (terminal 8) and 19 being supplied to member 21.

It should be noted that for the fourth and fifth embodiments according to FIGS. 5 and 6, when the value of N 'is modified, at 13, during the operation of the system, the new value of N' is not taken into account. counts, at 10, as long as a reset and load order does not appear at 32. It is possible to remedy this drawback as described below with reference to FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7 only the up-down counter 10, the zero-crossing detector 18 with their connections and the charging conductor connected to terminal 32 are represented, the members 10 and 18 being assumed to be connected to the rest of the system as indicated in the Figure 5 or Figure 6. In addition to the elements of Figures 5 or 6 a connection is present between the output of the member 18 and the loading input of the up-down counter 10, by means of a setting circuit in the form of a pulse 52 and an OR gate circuit 53 which receives the signal on terminal 32 on a second input. Under these conditions, if the value of N 'is changed to 13 at any time during the scanning cycle , during the first zero crossing of N which follows this instant, the new value of N 'will be displayed at 10 and a scanning angle corresponding to the new value of N' will be obtained. In this case, however, an angular shift of the theoretical axis of the scanning sector occurs during the first cycle corresponding to the new value of N '.

For the embodiments of the invention described above, a three-phase asynchronous motor is preferably used. The reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor is obtained in this case in a known manner by permuting two of the three supply phases, by means of multiple contacts actuated by relays. It is also possible to use a DC motor of simple construction. For certain applications, the application to a mobile antenna for radar in particular, it may be advantageous to use a motor with two rotational speeds, the slow speed then being used during forced rotation in a predetermined direction of the antenna. It is also possible to use the two speeds for the "standby mode for example by imposing the slow speed at start-up (scanning of the first half sector) then between a predetermined angle and the angle defined by the value of N ', when scanning in each direction of the entire sector, rapid speed being previously used for the complementary angular part of the sector. An asynchronous motor with two stators is suitable for this variant of the invention which the skilled person is able to adapt to the embodiments described above. The advantage of this variant is that it makes it possible to print on the antenna, in "standby" mode, an alternating movement which is a little closer to the sinusoidal movement which can be considered optimal, if we compare it to the movement obtained when the motor has only one rotation speed.

Claims (11)

1. A system for controlling the rotation of the shaft (2) of a motor (1) so as to provide automatically an oscillatory motion of this shaft to one and the other side of a predetermined angular position (R) which remains fixed with the course of time, the said system comprising contactors which determine the direction of rotation of the said motor, characterized in that it further comprises a disk (3) which accurately follows the rotation of the said shaft and is provided at its circumference with regularly spaced detection zones (4), two sensors (5) which are associated with a pulse-shaping unit (6) to detect the said zones and to translate their passage into calibrated electric pulses as well as their direction of passage into an electric signal, and also comprises an up/down counter (10) for the delayed said calibrated pulses, whose count is a number having a variable value (N), a display device (13) displaying a predetermined fixed number N' and, in a logic device (17) which receives the numbers N and N' as well as the said electric signal, a comparator (19) for comparing the numbers N and N', a detector (18) for detecting when the number N attains zero, a control unit (20) for changing the direction of rotation of the said motor and a control unit (21) for changing the counting direction of the said up/down counter (10).

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the said control unit (20) for changing the direction of rotation of the motor receives the output of the said comparator (19) and that the said control unit (21) for changing the counting direction of the up/down counter receives at a first input (8) the said electric signal and at a second input the output the said detector (18) for detecting when the number N attains zero, operation of the system beginning in the upward-counting state.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the output of the said control unit (20) for changing the direction of rotation is applied to the unit comprising the said contactors (15) which determine the direction of rotation of the motor.

4. A system as claimed of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises a contacting device (28) and a logic unit (33) for controlling the contactors (15) of the motor, the latter receiving the output signal of the said unit (20) for controlling the change of direction of rotation and a reset-to-zero signal as well as two control signals which are received from the contacting device (28) and compel the shaft to rotate in one or the other direction, and supplying two output signals to two inputs of the said unit comprising the said contactors (15) which determine the direction of rotation of the motor.

5. A system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the said unit (20) for controlling the change in the direction of rotation of the motor receives the output signal of the said comparator (19) and that the said unit (21) for changing the counting direction receives at a first input the said electric signal, at a second input the output from the said detector (18) for detecting when the number N attains zero and at a third input the output of the said comparator (19) comparing the numbers N and N', operation of the system beginning in the upward-counting state.

6. A system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises (Fig. 2) a common reset-to-zero conductor for the said units (20) which control the change of the direction of rotation and the counting direction and for the said up/down counter (10).

7. A system as claimed in Claims 1, 3, and 6 taken together or 1, 4 and 6 taken together, characterized in that the said up/down counter (10) receives the said number N', its reset-to-zero input being replaced by a set-to-N' control input, that the said unit (20) for changing the direction of rotation of the motor receives the output of the said detector (18) detecting the zero passage of the number N and that the said unit (21) for changing the counting direction receives at a first input (8) the said electric signal and at a second input the output signal of the said comparator (19), operation of the system beginning in the downward-couting state.

8. A system as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that the said unit (21) for changing the counting direction receives inter alia at a third input the output signal of the said detector (18) which detects when the number N attains zero.

9. A system as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, characterized in that the output of the said detector (18) for detecting when the number N attains zero is connected to the set-to-N' control input of the said up/down counter, via an OR-gate (53).

10. A system as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the said motor is an asynchronous motor having one or two nominal operating speeds.

11. The use of a system as claimed in any of the preceding Claims for rotationally driving a radar antenna.

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